Specialised knowledge across a variety of areas
Understanding of the theory, concepts and methods pertaining to a field (or fields) of learning
A systematic understanding of knowledge, at, or informed by, the forefront of a field of learning Knowledge-
Breadth
The graduate should be able to:
1. demonstrate an integration of knowledge and an understanding of a systematic approach to care and a specified range of midwifery interventions, and of health, ethics, interpersonal communication, management, information technology, numeracy and literacy as applied to maternity care within a maternity care team.
The graduate should be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of the theory, concepts and methods pertaining to relevant clinical practice skills, essential for safe and effective midwifery practice.
The graduate should:
1. know how knowledge is created and changed within the midwifery profession.
2. be able to demonstrate a knowledge base that exercises higher levels of judgement, discretion and decision making within midwifery practice.
3. be able to demonstrate the value of midwifery through the generation of midwifery knowledge and innovative clinical practice, midwifery education and management.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
Note: Pre-registration midwife education programmes are at Level 8.
• Within this document, the use of the word ‘woman’ should be taken to include her fetus/baby where appropriate.
• Within this document, the use of the word ‘family’ refers to any significant others, identified by the woman, and not necessarily blood relatives.
2All Standards should be utilised in conjunction with the Requirements of An Bord Altranais
Recognition of limitations of current knowledge and familiarity with sources of new knowledge;
integration of concepts across a variety of areas
Detailed knowledge and understanding in one or more specialised areas, some of it at the current boundaries of the field(s).
A critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, generally informed by the forefront of a field of learning
Knowledge-Kind
The graduate should be able to:
1. demonstrate an integration of knowledge of:
- assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of midwifery care;
- concepts that underpin midwifery practice and maternity care, including social, biological, psychological and related sciences.
2. recognise the limitations to current competence.
.
The graduate should:
1. know and demonstrate an understanding of relevant biological and related sciences as they apply to midwifery practice.
2. know and demonstrate an understanding of the social sciences as they apply to midwifery practice.
3. critically analyse and evaluate relevant knowledge in
contemporary midwifery practice.
4. critically analyse and evaluate relevant knowledge in health promotion and health care policy.
5. demonstrate relevant knowledge to underpin evidence based midwifery practice
The graduate should:
1. demonstrate the synthesis and integration of knowledge from various domains showing a breadth and depth of knowledge of midwifery.
2. demonstrate the synthesis and integration of knowledge from a broad range of disciplines that inform and develop midwifery practice.
3. demonstrate the synthesis and integration of the major research methodologies appropriate to midwifery.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
An Bord Altranais • June 2010 41 Requirements and Standards for Post-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Education Programmes - Incorporating the National Framework of Qualifications • First Edition
Demonstrate specialised technical, creative or conceptual skills and tools across and area of study
Demonstrate mastery of a complex and specialised area of skills and tools; use and modify advanced skills and tools to conduct closely guided research, professional or advanced technical activity
Demonstrate a range of standard and specialised research or equivalent tools and techniques of enquiry
Know-How
& Skill-Range
The graduate should be able to:
1. demonstrate defined specialised technical, creative or conceptual midwifery skills and tools, with supervision as appropriate.
2. take responsibility for actions and omissions.
The graduate should be able to:
1. conduct a comprehensive needs assessment as the basis for independent midwifery practice.
2. provide competent, safe midwifery care to women and, where possible, their wider family circle.
3. demonstrate evidence based clinical practice skills essential for safe midwifery practice.
4. identify and implement health promotion priorities in midwifery practice.
5. implement health promotion strategies for women, their families and the wider community in accordance with the public health agenda.
The graduate should be able to:
1. make critical choices in the selection of approaches to research problems.
2. synthesise different approaches to research and justify their use in practice.
3. systematically gather, interpret and evaluate evidence drawn from a diverse range of sources that are chosen independently.
4. demonstrate expert skill in providing care for women and groups in communities, within the scope of practice framework and multidisciplinary team.
5. demonstrate advanced clinical decision-making skills to manage a midwifery caseload.
6. evaluate and critique current evidence base to set standards for best practice.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
Exercise appropriate judgement in planning, design, technical and/or supervisory functions related to products, services, operations or processes
Exercise appropriate judgement in a number of complex planning, design, technical and/or management functions related to products, services, operations or processes, including resourcing
Select from complex and advanced skills across a field of learning;
develop new skills to a high level, including novel and emerging techniques
Know-How
& Skill-Selectivity
The graduate should be able to:
1 exercise relevant judgement in participating in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of midwifery care for women with appropriate supervision.
2 undertake delegated duties in a reliable manner taking responsibility for actions or omissions, as appropriate.
3 seek guidance in situations beyond experience or competence.
4 utilise knowledge experience, learning resources from diverse sources to enhance competence.
The graduate should be able to:
1. identify and meet the midwifery care needs of women, their families and community in all health care settings.
2. demonstrate the skills of - analysis
- critical thinking - problem solving, and - reflection in midwifery
practice.
3. where appropriate, act as an effective member of the maternity care team and participate in the multidisciplinary team approach to the care of women.
4. evaluate practice and use current research findings to underpin clinical midwifery practice promoting the normality of pregnancy and birth.
5. articulate and represent women’s interests and enable women to fully participate as partners in decisions about their maternity care needs.
6. implement changes in maternity care service in response to women’s needs and choices, and service demand.
The graduate should be able to:
1. critically evaluate with discrimination the complex theories and concepts underpinning professional midwifery practice.
2. utilise advanced knowledge and critical thinking skills to directly and indirectly provide optimum midwifery care.
3. develop and apply critical faculties to practice through advanced reflection skills.
4. demonstrate a vision of professional practice that can be developed beyond current scope of practice.
5. act proactively as an educational resource for healthcare professionals.
6. apply critical faculties to professional midwifery practice through analysis of the underlying epistemology of its knowledge base.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
An Bord Altranais • June 2010 43 Requirements and Standards for Post-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Education Programmes - Incorporating the National Framework of Qualifications • First Edition
Utilise diagnostic and creative skills in a range of functions in a wide variety of contexts
Use advanced skills to conduct research, or advanced technical or professional activity, accepting accountability for all related decision making; transfer and apply diagnostic and creative skills in a range of contexts
Act in a wide and often
unpredictable variety of professional levels and ill-defined contexts Competence
-Context
The graduate should be able to:
1. utilise skills in a wide range of appropriate functions in the health care setting with appropriate supervision.
2. seek and understand sources of evidence to underpin midwifery care interventions.
The graduate should be able to:
1. adopt a holistic approach to midwifery care and the integration of knowledge.
Conduct a systematic holistic assessment of women’s needs based on midwifery theory and evidence-based practice.
2. plan care in partnership with the woman taking into consideration the role and potential input of all members of the maternity care team.
3. implement planned midwifery care to achieve the identified outcomes.
4. evaluate a woman’s progress toward expected outcomes and review plans in accordance with evaluation data and partnership with the woman.
5. establish and maintain caring interpersonal relationships with women and their families.
6. assess and confirm the health of women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the puerperium and provide appropriate midwifery care.
7. identify, critically analyse, disseminate and integrate midwifery and other evidence into midwifery practice.
8. initiate and/or participate in and evaluate audit and use the outcome of audit to improve the provision of maternity care.
9. contribute to service planning and budgetary processes through use of audit and midwifery knowledge.
The graduate should be able to:
1. demonstrate autonomy, experience, competence, accountability, authority and responsibility in midwifery practice.
2. demonstrate leadership in midwifery practice.
3. use knowledge to autonomously identify, resolve and evaluate intellectual issues and practical problems that appear in midwifery practice.
4. identify and integrate research into areas of health care that can incorporate best evidence based practice.
5. use advanced skills to conduct an in-depth research study relevant to professional midwifery practice.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
Accept accountability for
determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes; take significant supervisory responsibility for the work of others in defined areas of work
Act effectively under guidance in a peer relationship with qualified practitioners; lead multiple, complex and heterogeneous groups
Take significant responsibility for the work of individuals and groups; lead and initiate activity
Competence -Role
The graduate should be able to:
1. accept responsibility for personal outcomes within a defined range of midwifery care activities.
2. undertake delegated midwifery care duties with supervision as appropriate.
3. respect the expertise of and work collaboratively with all members of the multi-professional care team.
4. adhere to the policies, procedures and clinical guidelines of the health care provider.
5. work within the boundaries of role competence.
6. seek guidance when unsure how to intervene or act.
7. take responsibility for own actions or omissions.
The graduate should be able to: 1.
effectively manage the midwifery care of women and their families.
2. contribute to the overall goal/mission of the health care institution.
3. demonstrate the ability to work as a team member. 4. determine priorities for midwifery care based on need, informed choice, acuity and optimal time for intervention.
5. select and utilise resources effectively and efficiently.
6. utilise methods to demonstrate quality assurance and quality management.
7. delegate to other midwives activities commensurate with their competence and within their scope of professional practice, having due regard for the principles outlined in the Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework, when delegating a particular role or function.
8. facilitate the coordination of care.
This is achieved through working, in partnership with a woman, with all team members to ensure that a woman’s care is
appropriate, effective and consistent.
9. provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a resource and role model for midwifery practice.
The graduate should be able to:
1. co-ordinate evidence based practice audit and research to develop and evaluate midwifery practice.
2. actively contribute to the professional body of midwifery knowledge.
3. demonstrate the value of midwifery through the generation of midwifery knowledge and innovative midwifery education and practice.
4. teach others from a broad and in-depth knowledge base, derived from reflection on midwifery practice and expertise.
5. Critically review the working of teams and demonstrate skills in negotiation and the management of conflict.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
An Bord Altranais • June 2010 45 Requirements and Standards for Post-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Education Programmes - Incorporating the National Framework of Qualifications • First Edition
Express an internalised personal world view, manifesting solidarity with others
Express a comprehensive internalised, personal world view manifesting solidarity with others
Scrutinise and reflect on social norms and relationships and act to change them
Competence-Insight
The graduate should be able to demonstrate an understanding of:
1. the principles of professional regulation for midwives. 2.
principles governing ethical behaviour in maternity care.
3. how he/she can recognise limitations of own level of knowledge, skill, attitude or competence.
4. the need for personal reflection upon clinical practice in midwifery.
The graduate should be able to:
1. provide and articulate professional and ethical midwifery practice. Safe and effective practice requires a sound underpinning of theoretical knowledge that informs practice and is in turn informed by that practice.
2. practice in accordance with legislation affecting midwifery practice.
3. practice within the limits of own competence and take measures to develop own competence.
4. demonstrate an understanding and consciousness of professional midwifery practice issues through the process of reflection on experience.
5. generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines.
6. use relevant knowledge to support and enhance midwifery knowledge and practice.
The graduate should be able to:
1. identify and implement action to improve midwifery practice and initiate change.
2. identify and critically evaluate ethical issues and work with others towards their resolution.
3. develop the ability to be political within and outside of his/her employing organisation.
4. challenge assumptions and question values, beliefs and policies underpinning maternity care at individual, team and organisational level.
5. actively contribute to the quality of care through research that can advance midwifery and maternity care knowledge.
6. develop advanced
communication skills in order to present balanced arguments.
- present structured, rational and evidenced coherent arguments using appropriate strategies.
- engage confidently in academic and multi-professional debate.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
All cognate areas within the discipline of midwifery must be at level 8.
Take initiative to identify and address learning needs and interact effectively in a learning group
Learn to act in variable and unfamiliar contexts; learn to manage learning tasks independently, professionally and ethically
Learn to self-evaluate and take responsibility for continuing academic/professional development
Competence-Learning to Learn
The graduate should be able to:
1. reflect on personal experience to integrate experiential learning with theoretical knowledge.
2. identify personal and professional development needs.
3. take appropriate opportunities to enhance own level of knowledge, skill, attitude or competence.
4. show self-direction in use of time, motivation and commitment to enhancing professional development.
The graduate should be able to:
1.take responsibility for personal and professional development.
2. act to enhance the personal and professional development of self and others.
3. demonstrate a commitment to life- long learning.
4. contribute to the learning experiences of colleagues through support, supervision and teaching.
5. educate and support women, their families and the wider community to maintain and promote health.
6.provide mentorship, preceptorship, teaching, facilitation and professional supervisory skills for midwives and other health care professionals.
The graduate should be able to:
1. identify personal learning needs and the steps needed to meet them.
2. reflect critically on midwifery practice in order to improve it in self and others.
3. undertake complex and sustained analysis of subject matter and provide a balanced, logical and coherent conclusion.
4. continually evaluate personal contribution to current body of midwifery knowledge in practice.
5. utilise life-long learning skills to continue to develop knowledge applied to midwifery practice.
6. explore beyond scope of practice, developing effective and
innovative midwifery practice.
7. demonstrate commitment to advancing the body of knowledge in midwifery practice.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9
Express an internalised personal world view, manifesting solidarity with others
Express a comprehensive internalised, personal world view manifesting solidarity with others
Scrutinise and reflect on social norms and relationships and act to change them
Competence-Insight
The graduate should be able to demonstrate an understanding of:
1. the principles of professional regulation for midwives.
2. principles governing ethical behaviour in maternity care.
3. how he/she can recognise limitations of own level of knowledge, skill, attitude or competence.
4. the need for personal reflection upon clinical practice in midwifery.
The graduate should be able to:
1. provide and articulate professional and ethical midwifery practice. Safe and effective practice requires a sound underpinning of theoretical knowledge that informs practice and is in turn informed by that practice.
2. practice in accordance with legislation affecting midwifery practice.
3. practice within the limits of own competence and take measures to develop own competence.
4. demonstrate an understanding and consciousness of professional midwifery practice issues through the process of reflection on experience.
5. generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines.
6. use relevant knowledge to support and enhance midwifery knowledge and practice.
The graduate should be able to:
1. identify and implement action to improve midwifery practice and initiate change.
2. identify and critically evaluate ethical issues and work with others towards their resolution.
3. develop the ability to be political within and outside of his/her employing organisation.
4. challenge assumptions and question values, beliefs and policies underpinning maternity care at individual, team and organisational level.
5. actively contribute to the quality of care through research that can advance midwifery and maternity care knowledge.
6. develop advanced
communication skills in order to present balanced arguments. -present structured, rational and evidenced coherent arguments using appropriate strategies. -engage confidently in academic and multi-professional debate.
LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9